Friday, February 29, 2008

As you have no doubt seen in recent podcasts and newsletters, we’ve added Keeps and Siege to Warhammer Online! Now it is time to offer an in-depth explanation as to how these systems work and how they are integral to the Realm v Realm™ (RvR) experience.

Integrating keeps into WAR builds on the foundation and success of Dark Age of Camelot™. In that game, keeps were the epitome of land ownership and helped drive the sense of pride in RvR. In WAR, keeps are once again a focal point of pride for your Realm and worth the battle defend or capture them.

Here’s an exciting chance for you to get into the Warhammer Online closed beta test! When BOOM! Studios' new comic, WARHAMMER: CONDEMNED BY FIRE, hits stands this April, readers will have a chance at gaining entry into the WAR closed beta test.

Each copy of WARHAMMER: CONDEMNED BY FIRE #1 contains a special scratch-off which reveals a code giving readers a 1-in-5 chance to get into the Warhammer Online beta test.* Not only will you discover some great new Warhammer fiction, but there is also a chance you could be fighting your very own battles online. Pre-order your copy of issue #1 today andget ready for WAR!

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WARHAMMER: CONDEMNED BY FIRE #1 (of 5)

Story by Dan Abnett andIan EdgintonScript by Ian EdgintonDrawn by Rahsan Ekedal

The Witch Hunters come to the fore in this five issue mini-series from the same team that brought you WARHAMMER: FORGE OF WAR. Tireless foes of Chaos in the Warhammer universe, Witch Hunters roam the Empire seeking to stop the spread of dark magic and witchery of all kinds. When Witch Hunter Magnus Gault hears that the nearby village of Loughville has fallen prey to the canker of Chaos, he is driven to investigate. Once there, he finds the buildings rancid and rotted and the villagers wretched and mutated - eager to prey upon any lost soul who should come their way. Can one man stand against this monstrous regiment? Warhammer 40,000 novelist Dan Abnett, multiple Eisner Award-nominee Ian Edginton, and fan-favorite artist Rahsan Ekedal return to bring you another tale from the epic, fantasy realm that is Warhammer!

Our community team gets to hear everyday how much the beta testers are enjoying the game. We thought we would share the love with some of our favorite quotes from beta players.

“Music rocks. Lighting is nice. Combat is much more fluid and responsive. PQ’s are fantastic, especially loot and rolling. Shadowing is nice and the artwork on characters is amazing to me. Good to be back in. Marauder seems fun so far.”

-Level 4 Marauder

“Having quests like this that direct players to new areas is a feature I like very much; there are some games that leave you wondering where to go once you have out-leveled an area, and the system you have in place prevents that while still leaving room for exploration.”

-Level 4 Bright Wizard

“Chapter 1 is a fun introduction to the game. The public quest ending with the giant fight was unique and I really liked the roll system for loot with the scoreboard.”

Master of the Lore of Fire, the Bright Wizard is the most destructive battle wizard in all of the Empire. The Bright wizard is renowned for his ability to incinerate anything, ranging from individual soldiers to an entire hillside. However, destructive fire is not the only trick in his arsenal. The Bright Wizards is also capable of manipulating the wind of Aqshy to cause a variety of debilitating effects, ranging from thick banks of choking smoke, to withering heat that saps the strength and endurance from even the staunchest warrior. Some Bright Wizards have even been known to dabble in the healing arts, though cauterizing a wound with white hot fire is never a soldier’s first choice!

Bright Wizard Mechanic

Due to the volatile nature of Aqshy, the Red Wind of Fire that they manipulate, the Bright Wizard is always risking a backlash that could incinerate himself as well as his opponent. This buildup of Aqshy is known as 'Combustion' and the greater the level of Combustion a Bright Wizard places into his destructive spells the more likely they will explode with stupendous results (Critical Hit). However, even the most skilled wizard will get burned when playing with fire. Pushing the combustion level too high can result in a backlash of magical energy that will damage the Wizard himself.

Bright Wizard Masteries

Path of IncinerationThe Path of Incineration primarily focuses on destructive single-target spells. About half of these spells have high values of Combustion allowing those who master the Path of Incineration to focus on weaving high risk spells in with more reliable destructive magics for optimal single target damage.

Path of ImmolationThe Path of Immolation focuses on damage over time and debilitating, lingering debuffs. A Master of Immolation is more patient, relying less on high-Combustion spells with explosive effect and more on slow burns that build up into an unstoppable inferno.

Path of ConflagrationThe Path of Conflagration is the most destructive of the Bright Wizard masteries with area effect spells capable of burning entire swaths of land to a crisp. However, Masters of Conflagration must exert the most self-control; most of their spells build up high levels of Combustion andtehir reckless use could mean the Bright Wizard’s doom as well.

Zealot Career Masteries

The Zealot is a fanatical orator, intent on spreading the glory of the Raven God throughout the land and serving the will of the Great Changer. Draped with ritual vestments and tools of sacrifice, the Zealot can imbue various talismans and potions with the primordial power of Chaos. These items become potent magical conduits through which he can mend wounds, enhance his allies, and plague his enemies with unholy scourges.

Zealot Mechanic

Zealots are some of the few mortals who can call forth a Mark of Tzeentch upon living flesh, branding their allies as sanctified soldiers of the Changer of Ways. These marks will not only bolster their holders' powers far beyond normal human limitations, but also serve as direct conduits to the powers of Tzeentch himself, allowing their bearers to gain entirely new abilities. A Zealot can also desecrate a patch of land with Dark Rituals & Rites, marking that spot as claimed by Tzeentch and crippling any nonbelievers who dare to tread upon it.

Zealot Masteries

Path of Alchemy The Path of Alchemy is the Zealot's primary healing mastery. A specialist in Alchemy will become a mighty healer, capable of mending the most grievous wounds and ensuring that Tzeentch's armies live to see their enemies fall before them. While a player who selects this mastery may not necessarily gain the most powerful offensive capabilities, they will have absolutely no problems finding allies to protect them and do their bidding.

Path of RitualThe Path of Rituals is focused on warping the entire balance of power across a battlefield, skewing the fight to bring about the inevitable triumph of Tzeentch's followers. They are just as proficient at enhancing their allies as they are at stunting their enemies - and, in fact, can do both at the same time.

Path of WitchcraftThe Path of Witchcraft is for a Zealot who chooses to make himself into a talon of Tzeentch, reaching out to slaughter his enemies through magical attacks. These manifest themselves as deadly portents of chaos. Flocks of shrieking ravens may fall upon a Zealot’s foe to consume their flesh, or strange demonic manifestations may appear out of thin air to lash at his foes.

EMPEROR KARL FRANZ – Leader of the Empire Army

A soldier, statesman and leader without peer, Karl Franz rules the greatest nation of men in the Old World. Karl Franz is not only a fearless and cunning general who leads his loyal armies from the front rank; he is also a patron of the arts sciences, and an advocate of innovation. During his reign, the Imperial Engineers' School has grown and the Colleges of Magic have thrived.

In the time that Karl Franz has ruled, the Empire has flourished, its armies claiming one victory after another against the savage Orc hordes and the dread legions of the Chaos gods. The Age of Reckoning, however, is war on a scale that even the Great Statesman has rarely seen. The people of the Empire are depending on the heroic leadership of Karl Franz to see them through this dangerous time, and all hope of survival for the Old World may well rest upon his shoulders.

FINUBAR THE PHOENIX KING – Leader of the High Elf Army

Unlike previous insular monarchs of Ulthuan, Finubar the Seafarer favors relations with the other races of the world. He is a proponent of maritime trade, and has opened the grand city of Lothern, capital of the island nation of Ulthuan, to visitors from around the world.

Finubar's progressive nature will prove a valuable asset in the Age of Reckoning, for the High Elves must depend on the Empire and the Dwarfs, just as the Old World will depend on the aid of the High Elves. Only united together can the Armies of Order stand against the rampaging hordes that assail their lands.

HIGH KING THORGRIM GRUDGEBEARER – Leader of the Dwarf Army

Reigning from his seat in the ancient fortress of Karaz-a-Karak, Thorgrim Grudgebearer is a model of Dwarf resolve and steadfastness. At his side, the High King keeps the Dammaz Kron, the Great Book of Grudges. Like all his people, King Grudgebearer takes the recording of grudges very seriously, to ensure that no offense goes unanswered

Since the time of Sigmar, the Dwarfs have enjoyed a relationship of mutual respect with their neighbors in the Empire. Their attitude toward the High Elves of Ulthuan, however, has ranged from mistrust to outright hostility. If the Dwarfs are to survive in this new era of strife, the High King will need to set an example for his people, putting aside old enmities for the good of the war effort.

In this month’s tease, we unveil the High Elf Shadow Warrior in all her Dark Elf-hating glory. Armed with a pair of swords and finely crafted bow and arrows, she is more than a match for anything Destruction can send her way.

Stay tuned for more as we bring you another peek at the WAR cinematic next month. Enjoy!

As the heart of Ulthuan's magical traditions, Saphery is a natural target of the Dark Elf invasion. Not only is Saphery home to many of Ulthuan's High Elf Archmages, it also holds countless artifacts and items of power. If the servants of Malekith can gain control of even a fraction of these magical resources, they can twist their power to their own ends, while simultaneously weakening the High Elves.

As the Dark Elves march from Avelorn into Saphery, they advance along a number of fronts, intent on dozens of targets. Prime amongst these are the many towers of Saphery, wherein the magical knowledge and power of the High Elves is kept. Of these, the Ithilmar Tower, the Tower of Flames, and the White Tower of Hoeth are three key objectives. If the Dark Elves were to take all three towers, it could spell ruin for the High Elves.

As voice talent goes, the various artists, designers, programmers and writers at EA Mythic turned out to be very talented . . . artists, designers, programmers and writers. What can we say, we were early in development and needed some placeholder sound. For the finished game, Sound and Music man, Brad Derrick, and everyone’s favorite British bandleader, Paul Barnett, traveled to sunny Los Angeles, California to record with professional talent to give the people and creatures of WAR a true voice.

Join Creative Director, Paul Barnett, and his trusty video phone for a truly unique look at the making of WAR. This month, Paul celebrates getting old, watches a director in action, pals around with White Dwarf and Gamespot, and shares gifts from Father Nurgle.

Updated Empire and Chaos content and open world keeps and siege are being tested on beta now. Don’t waste any time, sign up now to take part in one of the largest beta tests ever for an MMORPG. More than a half a million players have registered so far, but we are always looking for new recruits. Sharpen your sword, unleash your inner mutation, and prepare to meet your destiny on the battlefields of Warhammer Online.

Hold your pants up with style and show the world you are ready for WAR!

Do you feel like you’ve been lacking accessories in your WARdrobe? Well not any more! Now available exclusively at the EA Mythic Store is the new WAR pewter belt buckle.* Supplies are extremely limited so order now!

Feeling creative? We know we have some talented fans out there and now is the time for you to demonstrate your skills. Send us your WAR-inspired art and we’ll showcase the best submissions in upcoming newsletters. Plus, featured artists will be invited to join us in the closed beta test!

Have a knack for creative writing or a story you are dying to tell? We are looking to “publish” the best WAR-inspired fan fiction written by our readers. We will choose our favorites and feature them in upcoming newsletters. Plus, featured writers will be invited to join us in the closed beta test!Submissions must be no longer than 2000 words.

The Legends and Lore section of the WAR Herald is only as good as the community can make it! Check out the stories from the Armies of Order and Destruction, and let us know how many mugs of ale each tale is worth. (Votes do not immediately display.) Think you can do better? Submit your own!

Welcome to the WAR Grab Bag, where our friendly neighborhood community team answers the most pressing, the most popular, and the most interesting questions from fans. Keep those questions coming, as we’re eager to hear what you have to say!

In the future we will collect grab bag questions from a different fansite each month. If you have a question you would like to submit for next month's grab bag please submit your questions on Warhammer Alliance dedicated forum page.

"I’d like the tone of the Warhammer universe to be conveyed by the underlying game systems in addition to the content in order for the game to deliver an experience that is undeniably Warhammer."

The next phase of the WAR Beta is underway and we are debuting all-new content and RvR mayhem! Each month we'll randomly select 20 names from the newsletter subscriber database for entry into the Beta Test.* If you are a current Warhammer newsletter subscriber, then you're automatically entered into the drawing every month. If you are not yet a newsletter subscriber, visit betacenter.eamythic.com to register for the Beta and subscribe to the monthly newsletter.

Each month we’ll be shining the spotlight on WAR fan sites that exemplify what we consider to be the best in WAR community spirit.

The writers of the “Warhammer Community Writing Project” are currently hard at work developing a novella featuring Warhammer lore. The writers, who came from every corner of the WAR community, will be presenting their novella as a free download later this year. Keep your eyes open for this interesting and exciting work of fiction and check out www.warhammerconflict.com for more info!

Is your fan site doing something cool, informative, or fun? Let us know by sending an email to war-community@mythic.ea.com and you could be featured in the next community spotlight.

The views expressed in the linked sites are the views of the respective owners of each site, and do not necessarily express the views of Electronic Arts, its wholly-owned subsidiaries or Licensors. Electronic Arts does not endorse and is not responsible for content on third party sites, including fan sites.

2008 marks a very special year for Warhammer as it is the 25th anniversary of the launch of the fantasy battles game! To commemorate this momentous milestone, Games Workshop has plans to celebrate with a host of global promotions, parties, and events. Cake for everyone! In the coming months, we’ll let you know how you, the Warhammer Online community, can takepart in the fun as well. Stay tuned for more details.

Masters of Magic

Under constant pressure from its enemies, the human Empire maintains mighty armies to protect itself. Crucial among these troops are the Imperial Battle Wizards, trained to rain fiery death upon their foes, or summon the fury of the heavens. When Grey Wizard Lothar and his colleagues ride to war against a massive Orc invasion, can the Wizards control their rivalry and ambition long enough to defeat the enemy?

More news and exclusive information from the frontlines of WAR, including:

Destruction Leader Profiles

New Career Mastery Updates

Zone Overview – Mountains of Caledor

New images from the WAR Cinematic

Plus, some other excitingWAR announcements!

* The BOOM! Beta promotional code must be activated by May 31, 2008 to be eligible for the Beta Test. Previous registrants can add the promo code to their existing accounts by visiting the Beta Center. One in five registrants using this promo code are potentially eligible to participate in the Beta test. However, this is dependent upon the registrant meeting specific computer system specifications and the time of entry is not guaranteed. The Beta Test is an ongoing process and registrants will be invited to participate at various intervals until the launch of the game. Offer valid for North American residents only.

In order to participate in the Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Beta you must agree to a Beta Test Agreement, in which you will represent and warrant that, among other things, you (a) are eighteen (18) years of age or older, (b) are not a principal, employee, agent, independent contractor, officer or director of a developer or publisher of video or computer games (other than EA), and (c) are not a principal, employee, supplier, independent contractor, officer or director or of any entity that participates either directly or indirectly in the sale of in-game items, including but not limited to, in-game currency, armor, weapons, etc., whether these sales are to the general public or to a third-party.

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